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Tomato Price Surge by 130% Attributed to Infestation – Nigerian Govt |
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security has attributed the soaring prices of tomato products in Nigeria to an infestation in tomato farms, commonly referred to as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner.
This was revealed on Monday via his official X account.
Kyari was addressing the significant increase in tomato prices across the country.
According to DAILY POST, the average cost of one kilogram of tomatoes jumped by 131.58 per cent annually, reaching N1,123.41 in April 2024, up from N485.10 in April 2023.
Kyari acknowledged that the infestation has led to a decrease in tomato supply and subsequent price surges.
"A severe infestation, known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner, has impacted many of our tomato farms.
This has led to a substantial reduction in tomato availability, causing prices to soar.
Our ministry is actively addressing this challenge. We're sending agricultural specialists to the impacted regions to control and eradicate the infestation.
We're also equipping our farmers with essential support and advice to help them restore their crops promptly, similar to our establishment of the Ginger Blight Control Taskforce.
We recognize the effects this has on everyday life and are dedicated to resolving this issue and reinstating the availability of reasonably priced tomatoes," he stated.
In related news, Nigeria experienced a record spike in food inflation in April.
The National Bureau of Statistics' data indicated that food and overall inflation rates climbed to 33.69 per cent and 40.53 per cent in April 2024, respectively.
